Musical jumping rope



Filed Sept. 20, 1960 IIIIIIIII- INVENTOR. Maf@ ec/ew ATTORNEY handle 12 of a conventional jumping rope.

United States Patent C 3,049,961 MUSICAL .lUMPING ROPE Molly Decker, 135 Seth Boyden Terrace, Newark, N .J Filed Sept. 20, 1960, Ser. No. 57,284 Claims. (Cl. 34-404) My invention relates to musical devices generally and to a musical jumping rope operated by the normal o-scillatory motion of the jumping rope handle when in use.

A number of musical jumping ropes have been devised with sound producing means seated within one or both handles. However, the sound producing means usually comprise a bell-like structure with a clapper or striker secured thereto or therein for random movement with the handle. Such devic'es are unable to produce a song with a regular sequence of dilerent notes. Devices which can produce of song having a regular sequence of different notes employ springs, gears, shafts and other mechanical elements. These mechanical elements form a power transmission to the common music box pinned cylinder engaged to a comb having resilient tongs which produce diierent notes Whenplucked; Such devices are highly complex and costly and are subject to damage by shock and moisture.

Therefore, it is among the objects and advantages of my invention to provide a musical jumping rope in which a number of different musical notes may be sounded in a regular sequence to produce asong.

Another object of my invention is to provide a musical jumping rope wherein the sound producing means is seated within a cartridge which is easily attached to any conventional jumping rope handle.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a musical jumping rope in which the normal oscillatory motion of the handle, when in use, actuates the sound producing means without the use of gears, springs, shafts or other mechanical elements which are complex and costly and are subject to damage by shock and moisture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a musical jumping rope in which a regular squence of diiierent notes are percussively sounded by a free-moving striker circulating in a plurality of conduits.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a musical jumping rope in which the different musical notes may be produced by chimes, bells, strings or any other means which may be percussively operated.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a musical jumping rope which is virtually impervious to damage by shock or moisture.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a musical jumping rope which may be easily fabricated of inexpensive materials.

These objects and advantages as Well as otherobjects and advantages may be achieved by my invention one embodiment of which is illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a View in perspective of my musical jumping rope having the musical cartridge secured to the handle of a conventional jumping rope. l

HGURE 2 is an end elevational cross-sectional view of the musical cartridge on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective of the musical cartridge with the jumping rope handle removed therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my invention comprises a musical cartridge 11 which is attached to the The musical cartridge 11 itself comprises a generally cylindrical body 13 having an annular ange 14 on one end, thereby deiining a circular recess 15.

Secured within the recess 15 is a music producing device 16 comprised of a plurality of interconnected conduits which may have any convenient cross-sectional configuration such as circular or rectangular. There is provided lice a circumferential conduit 17 seated within the recess 15 which is arcuate and conforms generally to the interior surface of the annular iiange 14 on the body 13. The circumferential conduit 17 is connected to an upper cross conduit 18. The upper cross conduit 18 is generally straight and inclined downwardly with respect to a plane tangential to the body 13 at its topmost portion 19. The upper cross conduit 18 is connected to a first intermediate cross conduit 20 at a sharp intersection. The lirst intermediate cross conduit 20 is generally straight downwardly at an incline from the tangential plane aforementioned toward the circumferential conduit 17. The intersection between the upper cross conduit 18 and the first intermediate cross conduit 20 is provided with an opening 21. The opening 21 may be circular, rectangular, or any other convenient shape. Seated within the opening 21 is a chime 22 which is attached to the floor 23 of the recess 15 by some suitable mounting element 24.

The rst intermediate cross conduit 20 sharply intersects with a second intermediate cross conduit 25 at its end opposite its intersection with the upper cross conduit 18. The second intermediate cross conduit 25 is inclined downwardly in the manner of the upper cross conduit 18 and intermediate conduit 20, and extends in a direction opposite `from the circumferential conduit 17 to a point a short distance from the annular ange 14. The intersection between the first intermediate cross conduit 20 and the second conduit 25 is provided with an opening 26. Seated within the opening 26 is a chime 27 which is attached to the floor 23 of the recess 15 by a suitable mountingelement 28. The second intermediate cross conduit 25 connects to a third intermediate cross conduit 2.9 similar to the other cross conduits, 18, 20 and 25. The intersection between the cross conduit 29 and cross conduit 2.5 is sharp and is provided with an opening 31. A chime 30 is seated within the opening 31 and is attached to the floor 23 of the recess 15 by a suitable mounting element 32 in the same manner as chimes 22 and 26.

Any desired number of generally straight, intermediate cross conduits lmay be provided, interconnected and sharply intersecting in the manner of conduits 18, 20, 25 and 29. Each intersection is provided with an opening into which is seated a chime. The lowermost intermediate cross conduit 33 sharply intersects with the end of the arcuate, circumferential conduit 17 `and is connected thereto. A chime 34 is similarly seated within an opening 35 in the intersection of the lowermost intermediate cross conduit 33 and the circumferential conduit 17. There is thus created a closed, circuitous passage consisting of the interconnected arcuate circumferential conduit and the various, generally straight, intermediate crossV conduits.

A ball 36 'fabricated of hard metal or any other suitable material is positioned within the sound producing element 16 consisting of the closed circuitous passage aforementioned. In addition, the upper intermediate cross conduit 18 is provided with a one-way spring trap 37. The trap 37 is adapted to open by pressure exerted by the ball 36 when traveling in the direction of the arrows but to close in response to pressure exerted by the ball 36 in the opposite direction. A similar, one-way spring trap 38 is provided in the arcuate, circumferential conduit 17 near its intersection with the lowermost, intermediate cross conduit 33 and is adapted to permit movement of the ball 36 only in the direction of the arrows.

The musical cartridge 11 may be attached to the handle of any conventional jumping rope. However, it is necessary that some opening be maintained in the vicinity of the `sound producing element 16 in order to permit the sound to escape. This may be Vaccomplished by an annular, perforated shield 39 which may be screwed to both the flange 14 of the cartridge 11 and the handle 12 of the jumping rope, maintaining the cartridge 1l and the handle 12 in displaced relationship to each other.

v Music produced within the recess 15 can escape through `the perforated shield 39 without being distorted or otherwise muffled.

The music producing element 16 is secured to the door 'y 23 of the recess 15 by a plurality of generally U-shaped conduits may be easily fabricated of inexpensive, noncorrosive material, thereby rendering the device impervious t0 moisture or water damage. Since there are no gears, springs and shafts to move, there is virtually no Wear `from usage.

ln opera-tion, the normal, oscillatory motion of the hand while turning the jumping rope will cause the ball 36 to travel through the closed, circuitous passage of interconnected conduits. Starting with the arcuate, circumferential conduit 17, the ball 36 will be `forced therethrough by a combination of centrifugal force and rotational movement produced by the hand when turning the rope. The ball 36 will be forced into the upper, intermediate cross conduit 18 with considerable speed and force. The trap 37 will open permitting the ball 36 to travel down conduit i8. At the intersection of conduit iS with the first intermediate conduit 20, the ball 36 vwill percussively strike the chime 22 producing a musical note. The ball will then rebound into the first intermediate cross conduit and normal oscillatory motion of the hand will propel the ball down conduit 2t) to percussively strike chime 27 and thereafter rebound into the second, intermediate cross conduit Z5. Thus, the normal motion of the hand while jumping rope will cause the ball 36 to traverse the various conduits, striking the chime bars at the intersections of the generally straight, intermediate cross conduits. The traps 37 and 38 prevent the ball 36 from moving in an opposite direction. The cartridge 11 should be oriented` so that the normal motion of the hand tends to propel the ball in the direction of the arrows. j

ln this fashion, a plurality of different notes will be sounded in a regular sequence as the ball 36 strikes one chime after the other. The length of each intermediate cross conduit may be varied to alter the time lag between notes thereby creating rhythm.

The `foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the appendedclaims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

claim:

l. A musical jumping rope comprising,

(a) a rope having a handle secured to at least one end thereof, j

(b) a lbody member secured to the handle in spaced relationship thereto,

(c) a generally tubular, arcuate partial circumferential conduit secured to one end of the body member,

(d) a plurality of generally tubular, straight conduits connected end to end between the ends of the arcuate conduit, each straight conduit disposed at an acute angle to the straight conduit to Which it is connected,

(e) sound producing means positioned at the intersection of the straight conduits with each other, and

(f) means within the conduits for percussively sounding the sound producing means.

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2. A musical jumping rope comprising,

(a) a rope having a handle secured to at least one end thereof,

(b) a body member secured to the handle in spaced relationship thereof,

(c) a generally tubular, arcuate partial circumferential conduit secured to one end of the body member.

(d) a plurality of generally tubular straight conduits connected end to end between the ends ofthe arcuate conduit, each straight conduit disposed at an acute angle to the straight conduit to which it is connected, the respective conduits defining a close circuitous passage,

(e) the straight conduits being provided with openings at their intersections with each other,

(f) sound producing means seated within the said openings in the conduits, and

(g) means within the circuitous passage for percussively operating the sound producing means.

3. A. musical jumping rope comprising,

(a) a rope having a handle secured to at least one end thereof,

(b) a body member secured to the handle in spaced relationship thereto,

(c) a generally tubular, arcuate partial circumferential conduit secured to one end of the body member, (d) a plurality of generally tubular straight conduits connected end to end between the ends of the arcuate conduit, each straight conduit disposed at an acute angle to the straight conduit to which it is connected, tne respective conduits defining a closed circuitous passage,

(e) sound producing means positioned at the intersections of the straight conduits `with each other,

(j) means within the circuitous passage for percussively sounding the sound producing means, and

(g) means within the conduits to permit the said percussive means to circulate through the passage in but one direction.

4. A musical jumping rope comprising,

(a) a rope having a handle secured to at least one end thereof,

(b) a perforated, annular collar secured to the end of the handle opposite the rope,

(c) a body member secured to 'the perforated, annular collar in spaced relationship to the handle,

(d) a generally tubular, arcuate partial circumferential conduit secured to one end of the body member,

(e)` a plurality of generally tubular straight conduits connected end to end between the ends of the arcuate conduit, each straight conduit disposed at an acute angle to the straight conduit to which it is connected, the respective conduits defining a closed circuitous passage,

(f) sound producing means within the circuitous passage, and

(g) means adapted to circulate ywithin the circuitous passage for percussively sounding the sound producing means.

5. A musical jumping rope comprising,

(a) a rope having a handle secured to at least one end thereof,

(b) a perforated, annular collar secured to the end of the handle opposite the rope,

(c) a body member secured to the perforated annular collar in spaced relationship to the handle,

(d) a `generally tubular, arcuate partial circumferential conduit secured to one end of the body member,

(e) a plurality of generally tubular straight conduits connected end to and between the ends of the arcuate conduit, each straight conduit disposed at an acute angle to the straight conduit to which it is connected, the respective conduits defining a closed circuitous passage,

(f) the straight conduits being provided with openings -at their intersections with each other,

:(g) a chime seated within each of said openings,

(h) a striker seated within the circuitous passage free tocirculate therein, and

(i) -a spring trap located within -the circuitous passage adapted to permit the striker to circulate in but one direction.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pohley Dec. 12, 1882 Tucker May 30, 1893 Dozier Jan. 28, 1941 Miller Sept. 2, 1941 Rundell Apr. 18, 1950 Rlmdell Apr. 18, 1950 

